The B1450 is the UV Clave Ultraviolet Chamber — a bench UV-C surface decontamination chamber for items that can't be heat-sterilized: glassware, plasticware, lab tools, electronics, sample-prep ware, and other heat-sensitive items where autoclaving / dry-heat sterilization would damage the item. Sold at $627 as a standalone bench instrument, the UV Clave delivers UV-C light surface decontamination in an interlock-protected enclosed chamber at 110 W power draw.
Important: FOR RESEARCH USE ONLY. The "research use only" designation indicates the UV Clave is not validated for sterility-required workflows — clinical microbiology sterility validation, FDA / GLP-regulated sterility testing, pharmaceutical sterility-grade workflows. It is intended for research-grade surface decontamination where reduction of microbial bioburden is sufficient (vs validated sterility).
Author confidence note (MEDIUM): No specific B1450 brochure in available corpus. Specs sourced from universe label. Confirm exact UV-C wavelength (typically 254 nm), exposure-time recommendations, chamber dimensions, and interlock specifications with Benchmark Scientific technical support.
Voltage options: This unit can be ordered with European voltage requirements (230V/50Hz). Contact us to order.
Key Specifications
| SKU | B1450 |
| Type | UV-C ultraviolet decontamination chamber |
| Mechanism | UV-C light surface decontamination (typically 254 nm wavelength) |
| Use designation | For research use only — not validated for clinical / FDA-regulated sterility workflows |
| Power draw | 110 W |
| Voltage | 120 V / 60 Hz |
| Plug type | US Plug |
| List price | $627 |
| Safety flag | UV-C exposure hazard — eye / skin damage risk; chamber must be operated closed with interlock engaged |
Why a UV-C Decontamination Chamber
UV-C light at ~254 nm wavelength is strongly absorbed by DNA and RNA, producing pyrimidine dimer formation that prevents replication. This makes UV-C an effective surface decontamination modality for glassware that can't be autoclaved (specialty optical glass, expensive cuvettes, precision glassware), plasticware that can't tolerate 121 °C, electronics and instruments that can't be wet-decontaminated or heat-sterilized, sample-prep ware needing daily decontamination, and multi-use lab tools (forceps, scissors, tweezers) requiring rapid between-use decontamination.
UV-C is surface-only — light doesn't penetrate solid materials or shadowed areas. Items must be positioned for direct UV-C exposure to all surfaces requiring decontamination; rotating or repositioning during the cycle ensures full surface coverage.
Pick the UV Clave (B1450) when:
- Workflow needs surface decontamination of heat-sensitive items that can't tolerate autoclaving or dry-heat sterilization
- Research-grade decontamination is sufficient (not clinical sterility-validated)
- Daily between-use decontamination of lab tools / glassware / plasticware
- Multi-investigator shared bench tools requiring routine decontamination
Step to autoclave / dry-heat sterilizer for sterility-validated workflows where UV-C surface treatment is insufficient.
"Research Use Only" Designation — What It Means
The "for research use only" tag is a regulatory designation indicating:
| Aspect | Research-use designation | Clinical / FDA-validated |
| Sterility validation | Surface bioburden reduction (research-grade) | Validated kill-curve sterility |
| Workflow fit | Research labs, educational labs, non-regulated environments | Clinical microbiology, sterility testing, FDA / GLP-regulated workflows |
| Documentation | Per facility internal protocols | FDA / ISO sterility-validation documentation |
| Procurement decision | Cost-effective surface decontamination for research-grade workflows | Step to validated sterilizer for regulated workflows |
The B1450 is the right tool for research-grade surface decontamination at meaningful price savings vs validated sterilizers. Don't deploy the B1450 for clinical sterility-required workflows without separate sterility-validation work.
Voltage Variant Pair
| SKU | Voltage | Plug | List price |
| B1450 (this product) | 120 V / 60 Hz | US (NEMA 5-15) | $627 |
Same-price voltage pair — chassis cost structure identical between regional variants.
Application Profile
Glassware between-use decontamination — optical cuvettes, specialty glassware, expensive precision glassware that can't be autoclaved daily.
Plasticware decontamination — autoclave-incompatible plasticware, single-use to multi-use conversion workflows where decontamination supports plastic-item reuse.
Lab-tool between-use decontamination — forceps, scissors, tweezers, dissecting tools requiring daily / between-use decontamination.
Electronics decontamination — bench electronics, instrument surfaces, sample-prep ware that can't be wet-decontaminated.
Multi-investigator shared bench tools — facilities standardizing on between-use UV-C decontamination for shared aseptic-technique tools.
Educational microbiology laboratory teaching — undergraduate / graduate microbiology coursework introducing UV-C decontamination as part of decontamination-modality curriculum.
Tissue culture / cell-culture facility — cell-culture rooms benefiting from daily surface decontamination of shared tools (vs autoclaving small-batch tools).
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What does "for research use only" mean for the B1450? A: It's not validated for clinical/FDA-regulated sterility workflows — it provides research-grade surface bioburden reduction, not validated kill-curve sterility.
Q: What can the UV Clave decontaminate? A: Heat-sensitive items that can't be autoclaved — glassware, plasticware, electronics, sample-prep ware, and multi-use lab tools.
Q: Is UV-C a penetrating decontamination? A: No — it's surface-only; light doesn't reach shadowed areas, so items must be positioned (and repositioned) for direct exposure on all surfaces.
Q: What are the safety requirements? A: UV-C at ~254 nm causes immediate eye/skin damage; the chamber must be operated closed with the interlock engaged, and all operators trained in UV-C safety.
Q: Does the lamp need periodic replacement? A: Yes — UV-C lamps degrade over operating hours (typical service life 2,000–8,000 hours depending on design).
Ordering & Configuration
Confirm UV-C exposure-time protocol per item geometry. UV-C decontamination time depends on item shape, surface area, and shadowing. Confirm specific exposure-time recommendations for the intended item set with Benchmark Scientific technical support.
Confirm chamber dimensions vs item-set sizing. Confirm B1450 internal chamber dimensions support the largest item routinely decontaminated.
Plan for UV-C lamp replacement cycle. UV-C lamps degrade over operating hours (typical service life 2,000–8,000 hours depending on lamp design). Plan for periodic lamp replacement as part of long-term maintenance.
Confirm interlock and operator-safety protocols. UV-C exposure is immediately hazardous to eyes and skin. The chamber must be operated closed with interlock engaged; never operate with chamber open. Train all operators in UV-C safety protocols.
Confirm at quote: voltage and plug type, intended item-set decontamination workflow, chamber-size justification, UV-C lamp replacement cycle planning, operator safety training, "research use only" designation acceptance for the workflow class, and lead time.
Warranty: Per Benchmark Scientific standard capital-equipment terms — confirm at quote.
Safety note: the UV Clave delivers UV-C light at typically ~254 nm, which causes immediate eye / skin damage on direct exposure. Never operate with chamber open; verify interlock function before use; train all operators in UV-C safety. The "research use only" designation means this is NOT validated for clinical sterility-required workflows.
Benchmark Scientific decontamination / sterilization technologies — pick the right modality:
- UV-C chamber (B1450 family) — Surface decontamination of heat-sensitive items, research-grade
- Glass-bead sterilizer (B1201 / B1202 family) — Inoculation-tool sterilization at ~250–300 °C
- Ceramic-element microsterilizer (BactiZapper B1000 / B1001 / B1001-XL) — Inoculation-tool sterilization at ~815 °C
Pick the UV Clave for research-grade surface decontamination of heat-sensitive items; sister sterilizer technologies cover inoculation-tool thermal sterilization workflows.
